Violet sugar

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 40 violets
• 40 g sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 1 day 3 hours 10 minutes

Purple decorative sugar, e.g. for desserts or drinks

Collect the violets on a dry day, as soon as the dew has dried. Shake well, but do not wash. Use about 10 blossoms, perhaps a little more, for 10 g of sugar. Pluck the petals from the violet blossoms. This works best if you hold the calyxes between two fingers, gather the petals together, and pluck them off with a slight twist. Grind the blossoms well with the sugar in a mortar and pestle. With 40 g of sugar and 40 blossoms, this can be done in one step; for larger quantities, it is better to divide them. Place the sugar on a flat plate and let it dry in the sun. Stir or turn it occasionally. Depending on the weather, this can take between a few hours and two days. If you’re in a hurry, you can also dry it in the oven at 40-50°C. This takes about two to three hours. The sugar must be completely dry so it doesn’t clump in the jar. Store the dry sugar in a screw-top jar in a closed cupboard to prevent the color from fading too quickly.